Serengeti National Park

Serengeti national park

NORTH TANZANIA

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

The Home of the Endless Plains

Welcome to Serengeti National Park, the home of the legendary Great Wildebeest Migration. Thousands of wildebeest migrate over the savannah plains, and it’s probably the closest thing to untouched African wilderness you’ll ever see. There is no doubt that Serengeti is the best place to experience an African safari. Home to Africa’s most famous animals, the iconic Big 5, and what is considered to be the world’s largest concentration of predators with about 3,000 lions, 250 cheetahs and more than a thousand leopards. The vast stretch of land where you can drive forever and never get enough and the beautiful skies with dazzling colours are part of this magical place.

HOW TO GET TO SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Serengeti is easily accessible and most travellers start their safari in Arusha arriving at either Kilimanjaro Airport for international flights or Arusha airport for domestic flights.

By Road: Serengeti is about 325km from Arusha and can take around 8 hours drive to get there.

By Air: There are several airstrips (7 to be precise) in Serengeti National Park which you can take from Arusha Airport or any other airport in the country depending on your location.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit Serengeti National Park is during the dry season from June to October. This period is considered the high season so it can get crowded in some areas of the park. If you would prefer to not visit Serengeti when it’s crowded then travelling in low season is your best option. Accommodations also have a low season rate so your trip could end up cheaper also. This period is from mid-March to mid-May during the long rains and early November to mid-December during the short rains.

The Great Migration

As nature can be unpredictable there’s a rough timing where you can witness firsthand the great migration. The 800km wildebeest journey starts in Southern Serengeti where the wildebeest calves are being born. Around May, the herd starts to move north towards the Masai Mara in Kenya. With the short rains around October, the wildebeest start coming back to Serengeti and by December the herd passes through Central Serengeti to end up where they began.

BEST TIME TO WITNESS THE GREAT MIGRATION

December – May: Southeast and Ndutu

May – July: The Western Corridor

July – October: Serengeti Mara area

October – November: Northern Serengeti and Lobo area

*These timings are only a rough idea and cannot be foreseen as nature can be unpredictable.

Central Serengeti – Seronera

Seronera is located in Central Serengeti and it’s where the visitor information center is located. At the Seronera River, lion sightings are common and the riverbank is home to a big population of leopards. Seronera is also a popular area for Balloon Safaris.

North Serengeti – Kogatende

Kogatende is located in the North Serengeti and here is where you can witness the fascinating Great Migration crossing the Mara River to head to Mara in Kenya. Apart from the Great Migration, this region is also home to a diverse range of wildlife including elephants, lions, cheetahs and leopards.

South Serengeti – Ndutu

Ndutu is located in the Southern Serengeti and the best time to visit the area is between December and April. The thousands of wildebeest start to arrive around December from the North and they stay until April to give birth to their calves.

West Serengeti – Grumeti

Grumeti is located in West Serengeti and its remoteness gives travellers a more unique safari experience. Best area if you want to avoid crowds but still have a great safari experience. Grumeti is also known for its large lion prides giving you the best opportunity to sight lion prides.